Township of Assiginack Agenda
TOWNSHIP OF ASSIGINACK
Box 238 Manitowaning, ON., P0P 1N0
(705) 859-3196 or 1-800-540-0179
www.assiginack.ca
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AGENDA
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
OPENING AND DECLARATIONS
- ADMINISTRATION/FINANCE/PLANNING
a.) Funding Proposal- Community Emergency Preparedness Grant
b.) Veteran’s Banner Policy Discussion
c.) Encroachment Agreement Discussion
- PUBLIC WORKS
a.) Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) Discussion
- PROTECTION AND CONTROL
NONE - RECREATION AND CULTURE
NONE - CLOSED SESSION
a.)Personal information about an identifiable individual, including municipal employees.
Minutes
THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ASSIGINACK COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Brenda Reid, Councillors Dwayne Elliott, Janice Bowerman, Jennifer Hooper, and Robert Maguire.
STAFF: Alton Hobbs – CAO, Deb MacDonald- Treasurer/Deputy CAO, Heidi Ferguson- Clerk, Freda Bond- Tax & Utility Manager, Crystal Lentir- Administrative Assistant and Jackie White- PEC.
Moved by Councillor Elliott
THAT the meeting be opened with Mayor Reid presiding in the Chair.
CARRIED
The Land Acknowledgement was read by the Mayor.
Moved by Councillor Maguire
THAT we amend the agenda to remove item 5a.) Personal information about an identifiable individual, including municipal employees.
CARRIED
NOTE: The Mayor explained that the In-Camera item will take place at our next meeting.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest: None declared at this time.
NOTE: Councillor Maguire later declared a Pecuniary Interest with Agenda Item # 1c.) Encroachment Agreement Discussion and he stepped back from the table and was not involved in this discussion.
The Mayor reminded everyone that there is the Community Engagement Session for the proposed Arts and Entertainment Centre this Thursday at 4pm in the Council Chambers.
1a.) Funding Proposal- Community Emergency Preparedness Grant
Staff explained that we have a draft funding proposal, and it is draft because we are awaiting quotes, however we would like to present this to Council as the deadline for this funding is at the end of the month and we may not have an opportunity to review this with Council prior to the deadline. Staff will send members of Council the quotes once we receive them.
We are asking for generators for the Library, Medical Clinic and Arena Atrium, as these areas have been identified as critical infrastructure within the Township, as the
Arena is our Evacuation Centre, and the Library is our Cooling Centre. We would also like to apply for two portable, potable water containers in the event that we have an issue like we did this summer, as these would allow us to have a more mobile supply of water and serve as an alternative to the hoses at the Water Treatment Plants.
Staff advised Council that this is an Ontario wide funding program, and that we have a 50/50 success rate, however it is a funding opportunity that we could take advantage of it if we are successful.
Discussion took place and staff informed members of the Committee that this program provides 100% funding up to a maximum of $50,000 in funding.
Moved by: Councillor Bowerman
THAT we approve the funding proposal for the Community Emergency Preparedness Grant and advise staff to submit the application for funding.
CARRIED
1b.) Veteran’s Banner Policy Discussion
Staff advised Council that as discussed at the previous Council Meeting, staff reviewed the existing policy and put forward an amendment to address when we have more requests for banners than poles.
Discussion took place amongst Members of the Committee and the Committee decided to keep its status quo and leave the policy as written, as we currently have the capacity to fulfil the demand for banners. Staff will explore our options with Hydro One to see if we are able to add more banner arms to poles for consideration for another budget year.
1c.) Encroachment Agreement Discussion
Councillor Maguire declared a Pecuniary Interest and he stepped back from the table and did not take part in the discussion.
Staff explained that we received a request from a ratepayer who owns a seasonal dwelling that the majority of it, but not all of it are on the Shoreline Road Allowance, which is not uncommon. The property owner would like to install a sauna on the Shoreline Road Allowance and from a topographic perspective, there really is nowhere else on the property to locate the sauna.
Past practice has been that when we are made aware of an encroachment of a private building on the Shoreline Road Allowance which has occurred prior to 1981 for our old Zoning By-law, Council would consider entering into an Encroachment Agreement, similar to the agreement that was just entered into a few meetings ago.
The property owners are responsible for providing a Hold Harmless Agreement, Proof of Insurance and assume the liability for what is constructed.
Staff have had a conversation with our Solicitor and were informed that there is no Provincial Mandate for Encroachment Agreements, and it is up to Council to decide how they want to proceed. Staff provided members of the Committee with their various options available to them, which include: Do not enter into encroachment agreements, Entertain historical encroachment agreements, Allow newer encroachments, or have the ability to license encroachments, with the property owners still meeting the requirements such as hold harmless agreement and proof of insurance. Staff are seeking direction from Council on how they would like to proceed if they are interested in doing a policy for this and what they would like to include in the policy.
Discussion took place and the Committee agreed to take two weeks to think about this and this discussion will be brought back to our next meeting.
2.a.) Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) Discussion
Staff explained that during the previous term of Council, we had a plan completed that included a rough modelling and a rough costing for our water system, to bring our wild lines under municipal control. The cost of this was very prohibitive. Our water system infrastructure is aging, as our in-ground water lines in Manitowaning will be50 years old next year, and our Water Treatment Plant will be 18 years old next year.
Staff would like to request Council’s permission to hire EXP to provide us with a proposal to upgrade our water mains. We can then use this plan to help us in submitting an application to the Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund, which could subsidize this as a starting point for planning for infrastructure renewal.
It will cost $9,500 to complete this plan and the plan will tell us what we need to do and how we are going to do it.
Discussion took place amongst Members of the Committee and the Committee passed the following motion:
Moved by Councillor Maguire
THAT we advise staff to proceed with hiring EXP to complete a costing report for the Manitowaning Water Distribution System for the Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund.
CARRIED
Moved by Councillor Maguire
THAT we adjourn until the next regular meeting or call of the Chair. CARRIED
_______________ _________________________
Chair: Brenda Reid Recording Officer: Heidi Ferguson
*These Minutes have been circulated but are not considered Official until approved by Council.
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